SANBORN, N.Y. — Plans are moving forward for a new building on the Niagara County Community College (NCCC) campus that will house the county's new Law Enforcement Academy.
Last fall the county legislature approved up to $3 million in American Rescue Plan funds for the project. Another $2.27 million was set aside in the SUNY building fund as part of the 2022 state budget passed last month. The cost of the building is expected to total approximately $4.54 million.
After a decade at Niagara University, the academy was relocated to the NCCC campus in Sanborn in 2021. It is jointly operated by the Niagara County Sheriff's Office and the Niagara Falls Police Department. The academy trains newly hired officers and those hoping to be hired by other Western New York police agencies.
"I want to thank NCCC and the county legislature for being partners with the Sheriff’s Office in our vision for a new law enforcement academy," said Niagara County Sheriff Michael Filicetti. "The training requirements for those going into law enforcement are extensive and continue to evolve. Our new academy will allow us to use state-of-the-art technology to meet these training needs and better prepare future law enforcement officers for their careers."
The 15,000 square-foot building will have four classrooms with movable walls, men's and women's locker rooms, a reality-based training room and a use of force simulator.
Construction is expected to get underway in spring, 2023 with opening anticipated for sometime in 2024.
